Canoe Sprint

Raw power on flat water, Canoe Sprint is a straight-line drag race over 200m, 500m, or 1000m in long, narrow, unstable boats, with canoes (C1, C2) requiring a "J-stroke" to track straight and kayaks (K1, K2, K4) using double-bladed paddles for speed. The start is a standing start, the finish is a violent burst of 10 strokes, and the K4 (four-person kayak) requires perfect synchronization -- a single "catching" error can cause the boat to "check" (lose speed) -- making the photo finish measured in thousandths of a second.